Economic realities and “money
by Anton Jarrod
Humanity has always existed in the context of economic realities and forces; it is just that it is only relatively recently that the contact with this context has been more direct than indirect, and that the realities it consists of have entered the ordinary awareness of the being. With the development of modern civilization, economic realities became expressed in the physical dimension, where it has manifested as “money” and monetary systems and institutions. “Money” continues to be an important concern for people living today, and remains a prominent direct or indirect focus of life and activity. Yet, even if money did not exist, or any other “form” of economic system, this would not alter the fact that humanity would exist in the context of economic realities, for the same realities are constituted by essential and fundamental principles.
In terms of ordinary, daily life, human individuals must continue to negotiate the right attitude to money, or rather, towards the economic realities which necessitate and give rise to it, according to their circumstances and so on, for this “right attitude” is not a fixed, standard thing. What turns out to be “right” depends upon other realities and forces at play within the individual’s context at any given time. As always, discrimination and intelligence are required in forming the right attitude.
For various reasons, it has long been the case that the common attitude and relation to money involves too strong an attachment to economic realities, which ultimately has the effect of inhibiting or distorting development at the individual or collective levels. A healthy relationship with unavoidable, inescapable economic realities is characterized by balance, symbiosis and mutualistic tendencies, however, what ultimately works in a given moment or period of time depends on the impacts upon and of other realities.
Currently, it is possible to speak of a generalized, global, excessive attachment to money and an unhealthy preoccupation with economic realities. This is also to say that, given the level of development of humanity, such an attachment as exists and manifests is quite unnecessary in order for humanity to live and experience according to that level of development. The excessiveness is not without consequence, and causes humanity a certain degree of pain and suffering. As suggested, this is quite unnecessary, and because of this and the respective suffering that results, it represents a disorder in the health of humanity. Disorders such as these constitute a key aspect of humanity’s situation.
Various remedies are possible, but they do not necessarily involve the abandonment of money or the wilful destruction of one system in favour of another, either individually or collectively; indeed, this is not the right approach to take at all, and is very limited. Instead, individuals themselves must address the balance of forces upon which economic manifestations are based relative to their own relationship with actual economic realities in their lives.
The “right” balance of forces in this regard will always be that which is in accordance with the universal and fundamental laws and principles that underpin economic and other realities of being, life and experience.
